Nadal well prepared to give his best

NEW YORK: Rafael Nadal dearly wants to win the U.S. Open title to complete a career Grand Slam, but the Spanish World No. 1 is not obsessed about the only major trophy missing from his mantle.

Two days before Monday's start of the year's final Grand Slam tournament, the 24-year-old southpaw reflected upon the idea that Wimbledon or Australian Open titles might have been considered beyond his reach not so very long ago.

“You never know what's going to happen in your career,” Nadal said. “I hope I have other chances to play well here and have the chance to win, but without obsession.

“I'm more than happy with what I have at home, all the tournaments that I won. It's more than I dreamed five or six years ago so I'm happy for that. Now I have the idea to improve my tennis and play well here.”

Nadal comes off titles at the French Open and Wimbledon, giving him a career eight Grand Slam crowns, and has put himself in position to capture the U.S. Open the past two years, reaching the semifinals each time.

This year, the Spaniard says, he arrives at Flushing Meadows even more prepared to perform his best when it matters most.

Birthday-boy Andy Roddick starts with a reminder that time is ticking on his chances to win another Grand Slam title.

“The urgency is always there. Birthday or no birthday, you come in trying to win one,” Roddick said. “I don't think too much about age, number, whatever. I'll play until I feel like I shouldn't anymore.

Roddick has lost four Grand Slam finals, all to Roger Federer, since taking the U.S. Open title seven years ago in his first Grand Slam championship match.

The top-ranked American lost the 2006 U.S. Open final and dropped three Wimbledon finals, most recently last year after an epic 16-14 fifth set, the longest in any Grand Slam final.

Murray ready

Scot Andy Murray believes he is ready. Ever since he broke on to the senior tour more than four years ago, Murray has been tipped as a future Grand Slam champion.

The Scot has reached two major finals, in Australia at the start of 2010 and in New York in 2008, losing to Roger Federer on both occasions.

But having beaten both Federer and Nadal on his way to the title in Toronto earlier this month, the 23-year-old said he feels the breakthrough is close.

“I think there are very small differences (required),” Murray told reporters at Flushing Meadows on Saturday.

“Nothing drastic has to change. I just need to play my best tennis for the whole two weeks and hopefully I can do that here.”

In the women's section, Kim Clijsters looked like any ordinary working mom when she strolled into Flushing Meadows on Saturday.

It was kids' day and the National Tennis Centre was packed to the rafters with young families keen to get an early look at the world's best players practising before the last Grand Slam of the year starts on Monday.

If it was not for the camera crews and autograph hunters that followed her every step, Clijsters might easily have been mistaken for any other New Yorker, soaking up the atmosphere and joining in the excitement on a perfect summer's day.

But Clijsters is more than just another interested spectator. She is the defending women's champion, she is on a 14-match winning streak in New York and a source of inspiration to millions around the world.

The Belgian had won the title for the first time in 2005 but a wrist injury prevented her from defending her crown. She missed the following two years after taking time out to start a family.

Second title

Clijsters finally came back to New York last year and defied incredible odds to win her second title.

Her celebrations on the Arthur Ashe centre court with her toddler daughter Jada have become one of the enduring images of modern tennis.

She is again one of the favourites to win the title this year but says she is not feeling any pressure at all and determined just to enjoy the experience.

“My attitude is not any different compared to last year,” she said.

Belgian veteran Justine Henin is out with an injury and the woman Clijsters beat in last year's final, Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki, is now the top seed just ahead of Clijsters.